


Not A Worse Option

by enchantedlightningwrites



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkward Conversations, Cisco Ramon is Not A Doormat, Developing Friendships, Fix-It, Former Rivalry, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, POV Cisco Ramon, Potential Friendships, Redemption, The Flash (TV 2014) Season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:35:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24024439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enchantedlightningwrites/pseuds/enchantedlightningwrites
Summary: On a normal day in Central City, Cisco receives an unlikely visitor.
Relationships: Cisco Ramon & Hartley Rathaway
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16
Collections: Flarrowverse Shipyard





	Not A Worse Option

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a 'what should have happened' kind of thing, wherein Hartley tries to make amends. I mean, there's a lot of potential for that, and ya know what?? Decided to make one myself. Sorry, if I was a bit hard on him. I think that Cisco and Hartley have the potential to be friends, if it weren't for the writers. ~~WE WERE ROBBED~~ *clenches fist* If anyone interested for more, just send a comment!
> 
> May 7 Note: Apparently, season 6 botched up Hartley's redemption, and I ;-; stopped catching up with the show after season 4. I was so shook by gifs and spoilers, so CRISIS NEVER HAPPENED FOR ME, OKAY?? I DON'T WANNA KNOW, WHAT IT EFFED UP, SO... *shrugs*

**November 13, 2015**

The doorbell rang, and he rubbed a hand over an eye. He shook his head, slipping carefully out of the couch.

His head had throbbed with the blue tinted images playing out in his mind, for the past week, but a device had been keeping it in bay, and provided a sense of ease for Cisco. It it weren't for that, he might have stuck in his bed, all day.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t control his powers. He was still new to these things, and having a few supportive people who helped him felt good.

Cisco sighed. He went towards the door, and pulled the knob to open it.

“Hello there, Cisco,” Hartley greeted in a monotone.

He still dressed in that black leather get-up, including the hoodie for his Pied Piper guise. But he seemed to not have any gimmick or device that could harm him.

Oh, great. Yeah, just the last person that he needed to see this week. No scratch that, the last person that he needed to see this month.

But he had to suck it up, so Cisco placed on his best _forced_ grin.

“Hartley,” Cisco replied, clipped. “What are you doing here?”

“Just dropping by for a little visit,” Hartley answered, leaning against the doorframe. “May I come in?”

Whatever, he might be here for, it wasn’t for a friendly purpose. But then again. . . anything could be better than a ghost of Wells.

While Hartley was a liar, at least, he wasn’t some puppet-master and a manipulator, who made two years of Cisco’s life into the greatest lie, ever.

So, okay, he could handle this shit with Hartley, and get over with it.

Cisco snorted, taking a step back. “Sure, just don’t steal my cupcakes. Or candies, or chips. Basically, just don’t touch any of my snacks.”

Hartley tossed his hands up.

“Relax, Cisco, that’s not what I’m here for.”

“Then, why are you even here?”

“To have a chit-chat with you. I see that you’re still working in S.T.A.R Labs with Caitlin.”

“Yeah, and I’m a part of the metahuman task force in CCPD, too. I need some extra income, ya know. I don’t see you around in Central City, these days.”

“That’s very much true. I’ve been going around the country on my own for my tech uses.”

Cisco flopped down to the couch at the corner, as he snatched the chips from the coffee table. He watched Hartley take a seat at the other side,

“Ah, I see. Still working on those gauntlets, huh?”

“They’re my best work, per say. There’s always a method to improve its capability. I’ve been doing a balance between fine and good. How you’ve been for the last couple of months?”

“It’s been very weird,” Cisco admitted, crinkling his nose. “With the bad guys, singularity, getting a new job, and even more metahumans, I say it’s been totally crazy, dude.”

Hartley leaned and picked a book off the table, remarking, “Ah, so Central City hasn’t changed a bit.”

“You could say that, I guess.” Cisco chuckled, despite himself.

“How’s your family?” Hartley inquired, turning the pages of the book.

Okay, hmm, since when did Hartley care enough to ask personal questions like that? He tried searching for any hidden motives in his movements and posture, but he couldn’t find any.

Hartley had his legs over the couch cushion, and his body relaxed, like casually chill. His eyes settled on the book, as he read the content.

He never saw Hartley Rathaway this way, before.

“My family’s just the same. Dante’s kicking it with his piano gig at some gala, next week, and my mom’s been a mom per usual. They were somewhat nice to me, regarding my job at CCPD, but other than that, they’ve been super. . . okay.”

Hartley blinked for a moment, lifting his attention from the book.

“I can’t decide whether that’s good or bad, but alright. Still got those family issues to work on.”

Yeah, he wished that it wasn’t like that, but hey that was life. In all its unfairness and screwed up motions and structures, and it was a sad thing that no scientist could make sense of it.

Cisco often wished that he did, most of the time.

“And your parents?” Cisco asked, hoping that it didn’t came off as too awkward.

“Successfully avoiding them,” Hartley answered, flipping the pages of the book. “I’m not sure, if I could go back to them yet. They haven’t reached out to me, either. Maybe they’re okay, and doing fantastic without me.”

Understandable, Cisco thought, settling into his seat. For one thing, they sure had something in common: family issues.

And it never occurred to him, before, not even during the time of the building and progress of the particle accelerator.

Yeesh, no wonder, the guy could be a dick. He knew that it doesn’t excuse him from the bad shit, he had done, including as the Pied Piper. But he did saved them from the dementor, ten months ago with his shtick, so he also proved to have... changed his ways. A little bit.

Cisco shrugged, facing him.

“Well, at least, you’ve looked like you’ve been having the time of your life,” Cisco remarked, seeing nothing straining his expression or posture.

It made the other guy look up at him, with narrowed eyes.

“You seem, as if you’ve been locked up in a dusty closet.”

Seriously, now he was back being a dick, again? Why wasn’t he surprised?

Cisco gave a dirty look, rolling his eyes. “Thanks.”

“No, I meant that you’re a mess.”

“Gee, thanks for telling me, as if I didn’t notice!”

Hartley recoiled, huffing a quick breath.

“I’m serious, Cisco. You’ve obviously got something going on, and I can tell.”

Before he could make another retort, his mouth snapped shut. Hartley sat there with raised brows, his eyes scanning him as if for observation. The guy might be a jackass, but he wasn’t being one, today. For some reason, and there had to be a catch.

Cisco jumped to his feet to snatch the bag of chips off the counter, before returning to the couch in a jiffy. He flopped down, and glared at Hartley.

“It’s just work-related stress, dude,” Cisco insisted, picking a piece of chips. “Nothing else.”

He didn’t want Hartley to know about his powers, because they weren’t close and he might taunt him about it, and he did not want that.

“I’ve seen the work-stress, when you’ve worked on the particle accelerator,” Hartley said pointedly. “And this—he gestured at Cisco— doesn’t match. But if you wanted me to back off, you could have just said so! Ugh, people are so hard.”

_Or maybe you suck at socializing?_

Cisco crossed his arms. “Why are you acting like, my problems matter to you? It’s not like, you like me or something.”

He munched on the chips, as Hartley sat there and closed the book. He rubbed his palms over his forehead, like it could calm him down or something.

Neither of them said a word in the heavy silence, as Cisco kept his eyes on Hartley. But he wasn’t doing anything suspicious, just running his hands through his hair, as if he might rip it off.

Ouch. That was absolutely a mood.

“Okay, so I guess, what I’m saying is that I’m trying to apologize,” Hartley said with a ragged sigh. “We haven’t been on the best terms, ever since you started working at S.T.A.R Labs, but I want to make it up for what I did.”

Cisco snapped his head at Hartley as his eyes grew large. Wait, what?

“You can’t be serious,” Cisco murmured incredulously. “That’s why, you’re here? To say that you’re sorry? If so, I kinda admire the effort.”

“It’s not my best,” Hartley muttered, sounding chagrined. “If you want me to leave, just say so. I get it, if what I’ve done to hurt you won’t let you forgive me. I get it, I don’t deserve it, either.”

“Not really sure, if I should, either,” Cisco replied, turning away slightly. “You know what? If you can try to be less of a dick, maybe I will consider forgiving you.”

Hartley’s eyes went wide underneath those specs. “You’ve got to be kidding. I can’t tell if you mean it, in that flat tone of yours.”

“This is my serious voice,” Cisco retorted, twisting his lips. “Okay, if you do want my apology along with Caitlin and Barry, you have to show me that you really do want it. Yeah, do you have regrets, but I don’t want this to be one of those stunts, where I forgive you, and once I do, you’ll go back to your old habits and try to wreak havoc in Central City again. Nice try, Hartley. I'm not letting you get away with that shit, again.”

“I see. Alright, so you want me to stay out of the Flash’s way?”

_Not just his, but mine too._

“Uh huh. I’m not taking that shot again, just like I did before. Remember, you tricked me, when I let you out of the pipeline. I’m not letting that happen again.”

Hartley scoffed. “Of course, I know that. How are your friends been doing, lately?"

“My friends have been doing okay,” Cisco answered, setting his empty packet on the table. “We’ve been kinda short of team members, but Barry can manage with me and Cait on the comms.”

Hartley tilted his head, rubbing his chin.

“Did it occur to any of you that you could have another spot for a potential team member?”

“Just yesterday. I’m not sure, if Barry’s on board with it.”

“If there’s ever a spot for me,” Hartley said, getting to his feet. “Will you think about it? I’ve been getting pretty bored, wandering over and doing nothing exciting.”

Hartley feeling bored? Hmm, that kinda made sense, considering how he hasn’t been seen around in town... well, it surprised Cisco.

“Yeah, no problem,” Cisco agreed, with a nod. “If we ever have another dementor in our hands, I’ll let you know.”

Hartley got on his feet. “Excellent. Well, it’s been weirdly nice to see you. After a long while.”

“Likewise.” Cisco raised a hand. “So long, Hartley.”

The two of them waved at each other, as Hartley gave a small close-mouthed smile.

“Later, Cisco,” Hartley murmured, before going towards the door.

Well, he felt so glad that he didn’t ask anything about his powers, or else Hartley might have been... Not that he hated the visit, but whatever.

At least, neither of them tried pushing one or the other out of the window, or else, he might have been paying for property damages.

Once the door shut, Cisco blinked rapidly. After a few minutes passed, he simply shrugged and went back to reading the book.

And so, that was just weird in another day of Cisco Ramon’s insane and completely chaotic life.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to ramble with me, you can @enchanted-lightning-aes in tumblr! ~~Please bother my inbox, I want some new people to interact with, lmaooo.~~


End file.
